Software Developer Salary: Los Angeles, CA vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Software Developers in Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $160,920 | $167,280▲ | -$6,360 |
| 25th Percentile | $127,530 | $132,800▲ | -$5,270 |
| 75th Percentile | $191,540 | $211,860▲ | -$20,320 |
| 90th Percentile | $223,150 | $257,960▲ | -$34,810 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 113.6 | 111.1 | +2.5 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $141,697 | $150,522▲ | -$8,825 |
| Total Employment | 55,540 | 92,770 | -37,230 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Seattle, WA pays $6,360 more (median: $160,920 vs $167,280). BEA's regional price parity is 113.6 in Los Angeles, CA and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $141,697 and $150,522, so Seattle, WA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
4More Software Developer City Comparisons
5Reading This Comparison
The $6,360 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $141,697 for Los Angeles and $150,522 for Seattle, a difference of $8,825.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 55,540 Software Developer jobs in the Los Angeles area and 92,770 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Software Developer city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Software Developer salary higher in Los Angeles, CA or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA has the higher median wage for Software Developers ($167,280 per year, against $160,920 in Los Angeles, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $141,697 in Los Angeles, CA and $150,522 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 113.6 for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 13.6% above the national level for Los Angeles, CA and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Software Developers more once local prices are counted?
Seattle, WA: at national-average prices its median Software Developer wage is $150,522, against $141,697 for Los Angeles, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.